Barack Obama isn’t the only one who’s been celebrating a half-century birthday recently. Clay’s Popeye Barbeque’s 50th anniversary is this year. That’s a long time for an]]> Their name may be a little off-putting. And their exterior, orange streaked or mottled with vermilion and/or brownish purple, may bring to mind a nasty bruise rather than something good to eat. Howeve]]> From floor to ceiling, the Central Illinois Food Bank’s 25,000-square-foot warehouse on the east side of Springfield is packed with donations, ranging from traditional items like juice boxes, ce]]> Wednesday, watch as Man vs. Food’s Adam Richman eschews “chili” for chilLi the Springfield way. In the Springfield-based episode, taped in July, Richman visits Springfield favorites. ]]> So far it’s been an iffy year for local morels, those wonderful wild mushrooms whose cratered caps resemble sponges. In fact, “sponge mushrooms” was what my family called them; I did]]> It’s time again to wrap up some of the things I wrote about during 2011. Though I usually do it chronologically, this time around I have to start with the overwhelming reader response to my Oct.]]> For years, my husband Peter’s entire dental office eagerly anticipated the arrival of Velma Viele Mayes’ Italian Christmas cookies. The large foil-covered cardboard box overflowed with ani]]> Thin wisps of smoke from the guests’ cigarettes lazily spiral upward and hang as if suspended from the ceiling. The ceiling itself, as well as the walls, are inscribed with caricatures of regula]]> More than 100 years ago, Illinois was the fourth largest wine-producing state in the nation. Now the Treasury Department holds Illinois responsible for just a fraction of the 40 million gallons bottle]]> One of the best things about writing for the Illinois Times is getting to meet people.  That’s never been more true than while I was working on this week’s cover story.  Everyone]]> Pity the poor pear. Each autumn, apples get all the attention. It’s just not fair. Sure, pears show up in cooking publications, but they always seem to take a back seat to apples. That’s a]]>